Nest Hello VS Ring Pro: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Smart doorbells are starting to become an integral part of home security. Unlike before, wherein the only function of a doorbell is to alert the whole house that there is someone at the door, nowadays, doorbells can do a lot more; like inform you beforehand who’s at your doorsteps and notify you if there are any movements outside your home.

Today, we’re going to compare two of the best smart Doorbells in the market; The Nest Hello and the Ring Pro.

Installation Process

Nest Hello

Nest Hello highly encourages having one of their Nest Pro technicians do the actual installation for you for convenience.

But if you are one of those DIY junkies at home, here is a simple step by step installation process that you can follow:

• Check for compatibility: You will need to check if your current doorbell system is compatible with the Nest Hello. To do this, all you need to do is visit their website (nest.com/works)
• Download the app on your smartphone: You can download the Nest Pro app on the Google Play Store or the App Store free of charge.
• Create free Nest Account: This allows you to do access and personalize the setup of your doorbell.
• Add your Nest Hello device to your list of apps: Just tap the + icon located on the upper part of your screen.  If you are an existing Nest customer, tap the gear icon and choose “add a product”
• Scan the QR code: There is a QR code that can be found both on your device as well as the box. If you can’t scan the QR code, just click “continue without scanning” and it will prompt you to type the 6-digit code found at the back of your device.
• Install the hardware found on the box: There are several YouTube videos that can help you with the hardware installation of your device.
• Set up to your Wi-Fi network: The app will walk you thru on how to set up your device to your existing Wi-Fi Network.

Ring Pro

To install the Ring Pro, here is a simple guide that you can follow:

• Install Pro Power kit on your doorbell system: For more details, you may check their setup video uploaded on YouTube.
• Install ring video doorbell pro outside your home: You have to make sure you have the necessary tools needed like a Phillips screwdriver, clips and a hammer if needed.
• Turn on the device: The doorbell should light up and speak to you. Give it a couple of minutes to respond.
• Continue with in-app set up to connect to your Wi-FI network.

Design

Nest Hello

The Nest Hello has a minimalist but futuristic design with its oblong design. It has very compact dimensions; it’s 1.7 inches in width and 4.6 inches in height and weighs about 0.3 pounds. It has a built-in camera that can capture HD images and videos. It comes in just one colour which is black.

The Nest Hello comes with different accessories such as 15° wedge, chime connector, masonry drill bit, mounting kit, release tool, wall plate and window a decal.

The Nest Hello is also weatherproof. It means that it can withstand extreme weather conditions, as it should since it will be installed outside of your home.

Ring Pro

The Ring Pro has a more industrial design with its boxy exterior and sides. Its’ dimension is not that different from the Nest Hello; it is 1.8 inches in width and 4.5 inches in height. It has a camera that can capture 1080p videos. It has more colour selections; it comes in black, beige, grey and silver.

It comes with several accessories as well such as the Pro Power kit and 4 interchangeable faceplates.

The Ring Pro is also weatherproof and will not be bothered by extreme weather conditions such as a rainstorm or blizzard.

Features

Nest Hello

• Two-way talk: The Nest Hello allows you to speak with the person outside your door if you can’t attend to them personally. This is very useful for those unsolicited or unwanted visitors.
• Crystal Clear Images: The Nest Hello streams very clear images and videos without noticeable lags which makes home management and security very efficient.
• 24/7 Video Recording and Streaming: Speaking of the camera, not only does it capture clear images; it also has the capability to record and stream the activities outside your home.
• 160-degree field of vision: The built-in camera allows you to have a vantage point of the area outside your doorsteps which gives you better visibility.
• Easy Navigation: The Nest Hello and the Nest App offers very convenient functions and easy navigation. With a simple tap of the blue button, you will be able to access a live stream video of the camera installed outside your home.
• Face Detection: The Nest hello has a face detection algorithm that allows it to recognize frequent visitors after some time. If your device recognizes the person at the door, it will announce his or her name through your notification.
• Motion and Sound Detection: The Nest Hello is capable of detecting movement and sound made by people within close proximity of your doorstep.
• Customizable Motion Sensitivity: You can adjust the Nest Hello’s sensitivity to motion depending on your home management and security needs.
• Google Assistant Integration: You can link your Nest Hello device to your Google Assistant that can course the notification to your Google Home.
• Quiet Time: Let’s you disable the indoor chime and visitor announcement within specific time intervals (30, 60, 90 minutes)
• Pre-set Responses: Just like an answering machine, you can record and customize the Nest Hello’s response to your visitors when you’re not around or if you just can’t attend to them at that time.
• Home and Away Rules: With the help of your smartphone’s GPS, the Nest Hello can set itself automatically for notifications depending if you are home or not.

Ring Pro

• 1080p Video Recording: The Ring Pro comes with a high-resolution recording which makes images and videos clear even under undesirable lighting.
• Motion Detection Trigger: The Ring Pro starts recording only when it detects motion within its field of vision and ceases when it detects inactivity within its proximity. This is a great feature that can save power and storage and prevents your device from recording useless hours of recording of your front porch.
• Motion Zones: The Ring Pro allows you to designate specific zones that it needs to alert you on. For example, you can set your Ring Pro to send you notifications only when it detects movement on your front lawn or your driveway and nowhere else.
• Home Automation: You can integrate the Ring Pro with the different security systems. This means that your device can help turn on the lights automatically if there is motion detected and unlock the door with your app once it detects motion. This also allows the Ring Pro app to be one stop shop for your home security needs.
• Two Way Audio: Allows you to speak to the person at the door through the built-in speaker without actually having to come to the door. This is great for unsolicited visits from those marketers and insurance agents.

Performance and Camera Capabilities

Nest Hello

The Nest Hello offers great performance; jam-packed with a lot of helpful features that make your home management a breeze. The 24/7 recording makes sure that you don’t miss any activity outside your home.

You have the option of viewing the live stream thru your app and allows playback with the use of snapshots, this is limited for just the last 3 hours, however. Please note that you need to be subscribed to Nest Aware to access these features which would cost you an additional $30 a month.

The Nest Hello also allows you to set the motion sensitivity of the movements that it should alert you with, at least that way, your device will not alert you with movements that should not be a cause for alarm, such as the presence of stray animals.

The push notification that comes with this device is very particular and consistent. It sends you a notification (and an email if you opt into it) every time it detects motion within its proximity view. There is zero chance that you will miss out on any activity outside your home.

The video and the images captured by the camera is clear and crisp and shows great detail even under low lighting or at night, which is great since most of the activities that you should guard for happens at night.  The 160-degree vision and 4:3 resolution is just right for your security needs.

The Nest Hello face detection technology is also on point. After some time, it recognizes frequent visitors and announces their name thru the notifications. It’s so accurate that it even recognizes your frequent visitor even if they cut their hair or shave their beard. If the Nest Hello does not recognize the person at the door, it will tell you that “Someone is at the door”.

The Two Way talk feature is very convenient and works like a breeze. Unlike your traditional push to talk communicators, the Nest Hello allows you to just push the button without holding it and then push it again once you’re done. This is also a great feature if you can’t come to the door personally, especially for those unwanted visitors and salesmen.

The pre-recorded responses work like a charm especially if you integrate it with the Nest Hello’s Home and Away rules. You can leave pre-recorded messages that contain your whereabouts or the best way to contact you in cases of emergency.

The Nest Hello also allows you to integrate with Google assistant. Yes, you can command and setup your device with a simple voice command thru the Google assistant app. You can give instructions such as “Turn on Nest Hello”, or “I’m not home” and Google assistant will set the device based on your preference.

Google assistant can also connect your device with Google Home that streamlines your home management apps. This means that you don’t have to switch to different apps to manage the different aspects of your home.

Ring Pro

The Ring Pro offers better camera image and video quality than the Nest Hello. Its 1080p recording works like a charm. Images are crisp and full of detail. The video is clear and vibrant, with the presence of a little lag due to the size of the outputs’ quality and size.

The Motion Detection trigger is accurate. There are some cases that the camera starts recording even with the smallest of movements, such as the rustling of the leaves or the movements of stray animals.

Because of this feature, the Ring Pro has great storage management, since it only records videos with motion and not the unnecessary still video of your area which tends to take up almost 60% of your storage. This prevents you hours of having to delete unnecessary images and videos of uneventful recordings.

Aside from its accurate motion detection technology, motion zones also add another dimension security customization. Not only will the motion trigger technology stop you from recording unnecessary footage, the motion zones feature also allow you to have your device focus on movement in a specific area.

This is useful if you want to watch over something valuable like your car or your mailbox.

Setting up the Ring Pro with different security systems such as Kevo, Lockstate and WeMo is easy. All of the set up can be done on the app and it only takes a couple of minutes. Ring Pro’s home automation feature also allows you to centralize control of your home security.

The Ring Pro, has all of the same features as its brother Ring 3, and more. It comes with the pre-roll feature, for example, which means that the camera will show you video of the four seconds before the doorbell was pressed, which can add context to your videos and prove useful in certain situations.

The pre-roll on the Ring Pro is recorded in full color and high resolution too. This is one of the main features what makes the Ring doorbells so exceptional.

Mobile Application

Nest Hello

The Nest App offers a lot of features when it comes to your Nest Hello App:

• 24/7 Video Streaming: watch what happens on home’s surroundings anytime and anywhere you go using the Nest app. This is a great feature especially if you’re travelling or away for a long time and you want to monitor what’s happening
• Push Notification: The app also notifies you if there is a visitor at your doorsteps. If it’s a frequent visitor, it will tell you who it is. This feature is so efficient that your visitor doesn’t need to even ring the doorbell for the notification to work.
• Vantage Point of View: You can view the activities outside your home with its wide angle 160-degree point of view. You can see the entirety of the person at your doorstep from head to toe.
• HD Talk: The app allows you to talk to the person outside your home without having to come to the door. It also has ambient noise reduction feature which makes sure that incoming car noises will not be a distraction.
• Quick Responses: The app also allows you to send quick responses when you can’t come to the door. You can pre-record these responses just like a voicemail

Ring Pro

• Wi-Fi Connectivity: The Ring app allows you to connect your device to your home network seamlessly so that you can access its different features.
• Push Notifications: The Ring App notifies you if it detects motion outside your home. You can activate this feature on your smartphone.
• Live HD Video Streaming: The Ring app allows you to see whatever is happening in your home wherever you are. It delivers it with zero lag and crisp recordings.
• Two Way Talk: The Ring app, just like the Nest App, allows you to talk to the person outside of your door if you can’t come for them personally. The app also allows you to hear their response in high definition sound quality. You can use this feature wherever you are.
• Infrared Vision: The app also allows you to see in pitch dark places with its infrared sensors so that you don’t have to worry if there isn’t enough light in the area that it is designated to watch over.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Nest Hello

Pros: The Nest Hello has a lot of features that are not present in the Ring Pro like Google Assistant Protection, Customizable motion sensitivity and quiet time. It also has a better field of view with its 160-degree, 4:3 camera. Its app also packs a lot more functions versus the Ring App.

Cons: The Nest Hello requires subscribing to Nest Aware to access a lot of its features which will cost you $30 monthly for the subscription. Not to mention that the device itself is more expensive than the Ring Pro.

Ring Pro

Pros: The Ring Pro has a better image and video quality with its 1080p recording capabilities. The Ring Pro is also much more affordable. Plus, you don’t have to pay that much for subscriptions and unlocking full capabilities.

Cons: The Ring Pro’s app has very limited functionality compared to the Nest Hello. Aside from the usual live streaming and two-way talk, it doesn’t really do anything unique, unlike the Nest Hello’s app.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to smart doorbells, these products are two of the best out in the market today. They offer innovative features and top of the line specs that you can expect from a good smart doorbell.

The Nest Hello offers a lot of features that are quite unique and innovative that makes your home management and security more convenient. Features such as its Home and Away rules eliminate the need for you to worry about setting it up when you’re going away.

The only thing that you need to keep in mind is that the Nest Hello costs more and requires you to subscribe to the Nest Aware to access its other basic features for an additional $30 per month.

The Ring Pro offers a good mix of basic functions and top of the line hardware, like its 1080p camera. Its app is not that shady and it’s cheaper than the Nest Hello.

Bottom Line, if you have the extra cash to shell out for all the bells and whistles of the Nest Hello, then this product is a good buy. But if all you need are the basic features of a smart doorbell, and don’t want to pay monthly fees, then the Ring Pro is the perfect fit for you.